Britannia has launched cake in biscuit characteristic named ''Biscotti' , a novel experiment where consumer can have flavour of both biscuit and cake , even we can compare it to rusk flavored as cake . Britannia and other major biscuit manufacturers have realized that premium products could lead to better sales and margins , Today consumers are ready to experiment new categories and products which might be costlier but with higher delicacy.Its intersting to see that biscuit manufacturers are developing new varities in biscuit categories with flavours like zeera , cheese , fenugreek seeds , oats , raggi , atta etc .

Maggi fiasco has been eye opener for food operators who have been taking lightly the powers /provisions of food regulator and law.

Bakeries must take lessons from entire episode where Nestle has to make loss worth Rs 400 crore on product recall , worth thousand of rupees on destroying these recalled packs . Not to mention the sale loss and worst the consumer trust .

2. Excess of Lead presence in the Maggi
Excess lead consumption might result into decreased growth of muscle and bones . Lead also hamper child brain development

Bakeries to take note of following

Nestle-Maggi

Manufacturer /Producer
Nestle is this case has shown slow response to the reports coming out with different corners of the country were samples were checked and MSD and Lead presence were confirmed above permissible limits .
Over confidence over its own lab and test procedures has let them down .
Its surprising that the systems adopted by Food operators needs to be validated by third party/Independent authorities in time to time
Interpretation of laws in their own way . Nestle claim to that noodles and masala maker are one complete set was erroneous

Regulator
Its surprising that for last 30 years the govt labs /officials
has never warned or issues warning to Nestle on MSD or Lead presence over the permissible levels
Before banning the Maggi govt officials should have given chance to company to show case its defence for the violations
Banning entire products from production in arbitary would have not stood the courts of the land
Establishing Labs for tests and validation which need to be created near vicinity of production /manufacturers areas .

Consumers
Consumers need to be alert on their favorite food products especially the packaged food on following front.
More care need to be taken for products meant for Kids and Children .
Critical aspects on Food labels
Shelf life
Ingredients
Allergen
Taste /Odour
Dangerous ingredients - eg Lead

Parle has now re christened its Marie to Bakesmith as major rebranding exercise to boost falling share of Marie biscuit segment . Other major competitors for this segment are Britannia , Cremica , Parle and ITC as domestic players and Mcvities from United Biscuits.. Marie biscuits are popular among elderly population for being a low sugar supplement in biscuit segment

Parle products is now facing decline in glucose sale, impacting its bottom line as popular demand for cream and cookies biscuits have increased .
In addition to preferences competition has also dented into Parle share of the market , Glucose market has also shrinked .

Americana Cookies -Parle

To counter the decline in market Parle has re -branding for two of its regular varieites such as Cookies and Marie into new look with re branding giving new names to Cookies - Americana and Marie - Bakesmith . Packaging has new look with American and British Flags look alike in background . It would be interesting to see whether Americana rules Or Britannia .

Parle faces tough competition from Britannia and ITC as domestic competitors and Kraft and United Biscuits as MNC competitors . Bakery segment is estimated to worth Rs 25,000 crore . Biscuit category could be of 75 -80 % of this market segment .